Fragments towards an aesthetics of frailty

from futura to verdana

[Guardian] Not so long ago, in an ungainly and annoying queue at a hangar on the outskirts of town, the talk was all about great-value scented tealights. Today, the conversation has switched to fonts, and there is apoplexy. In case news hasn’t reached you, Ikea has changed its global font from Futura to Verdana. This wouldn’t normally raise an eyebrow, but the new catalogues have just arrived on type designers’ doormats (Thud! The new Ektorp Tullsta armchair cover – only £49!), and instead of looking all industrial and tough, it now looks a little more crafted and generously rounded. It also looks less suited to a Swedish company founded on original design, and a bit more like a company you wouldn’t think twice about. Online design forums are fuming, and typomaniacs are saying terrible things. (read)